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August 30, 2011

The Brilliance of On-Board Maps

IT IS A BIG RELIEF knowing that I can open my phone in the States, Ireland or England and use maps that navigate me with no requirement to be connected to the local mobile phone operator.

I routinely use Nokia Maps on my Nokia E7 because I like noticing what the maps don't comprehend about the Irish motorway system. A few months ago, Nokia Maps did not recognise the new motorway connecting Kilkenny to Dublin. Until last year, the confusing mess of the Red Cow interchange threw the electronic navigator into an endless loop of "recalculating" as we maneuvered around road works. Today, the calm voice guidance simply says, "Follow the course of the road". To which I might add, "Stay alert for motorists making lane changes."

Unlike Google Maps on my Android phone, Nokia Maps gives me very accurate off-route information about petrol stations, vehicle maintenance services, and historical points of interest. I also like the way Nokia Maps shows the exact phrases seen on the road signs. That has helped when weaving around congested places like airport terminals.

The screenshot shows another nice feature at the bottom of the maps' screens. The underlay presents a series of lane views that help drivers determine which lane to use when approaching a roundabout. For some of my American friends, fresh off a trans-Atlantic flight and strapped into an unfamiliar rental car, that lane view has helped them navigate through Dublin airport roundabouts. That alone would be a major testimony to the elegant helpfulness of Nokia Maps in the car.

Sent from my Nokia E7 using O2 EDGE Typepad service as we follow a back road route into the County Tipperary home.

Comments

IT IS A BIG RELIEF knowing that I can open my phone in the States, Ireland or England and use maps that navigate me with no requirement to be connected to the local mobile phone operator.

I routinely use Nokia Maps on my Nokia E7 because I like noticing what the maps don't comprehend about the Irish motorway system. A few months ago, Nokia Maps did not recognise the new motorway connecting Kilkenny to Dublin. Until last year, the confusing mess of the Red Cow interchange threw the electronic navigator into an endless loop of "recalculating" as we maneuvered around road works. Today, the calm voice guidance simply says, "Follow the course of the road". To which I might add, "Stay alert for motorists making lane changes."